Loyalty's Price
by ChemistPirateM
Summary: James has a sister who Harry never knew about. Just when he thought he had another chance at a family, he finds out what happened to her. Oneshot. Very slight hint of RLOC, but if you blink you miss it. Rating just to be safe.


-1AN: Nothing save for Aeryn Potteris mine.It all belongsto JK Rowling.

Harry stared at Remus Lupin in confusion, desperately trying to process his words. He had an aunt? On his father's side?

"Then why aren't I with her? She's blood," Harry asked, a steely edge to his voice. It was just like people in the Order to keep things from him; therefore he should have been used to this. But that didn't mean he liked it.

"Harry, you haven't been told about her because she's dead. She died before your parents did. As it is, Dumbledore will be most unpleased to find that you have been told about her."

Whatever hope Harry had of leaving the Dursleys had vanished as quickly as it came, and it was visible as his face fell. Remus felt a strong sense of compassion for the young man. He never got a break. He opened his mouth to speak, but Harry beat him to the punch.

"Voldemort killed her, didn't he," it wasn't a question.

"Yes, he had a hand in killing her."

Harry's eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean, a hand? He either killed her or he didn't. Only one killing curse is needed to kill someone." Harry paused, his face darkening in thought.

"Your aunt was killed in a very…unique way that I cannot describe." Remus glanced quickly at his Pensieve, something that Harry did not miss.

"Can I look in your Pensieve, Professor?"

"How many times do I have to tell you, Harry, I'm not your professor anymore. I'm simply 'Remus' now," Remus said, attempting to evade the question.

"Please, _Remus_. I know you saw what happened to her. I could tell when you looked at your Pensieve," Harry practically pleaded with him. He did not know why he wanted to see his aunt's death, but he fiercely desired to have some sort of connection to anybody in his family, alive or dead.

"Harry, I can't let you see it. It is definitely not a good idea. You don't need another death to burden you," Remus said firmly.

"Yes, Sir," Harry said, disappointed.

"Now, I need to go on a mission for the Order. I will be leaving in about half an hour. Mrs. Weasley will more than likely take you back to the Dursley's, however that will probably not happen until later tonight. I'll be back in a week, maybe two. Bye, Cub," Remus added, trying to lighten Harry's mood that had taken a severe downturn.

"Bye, Remus. Stay safe," and with that, Remus turned and left the room.

Harry eyed the Pensieve. He didn't want to disobey Remus, but something compelled him to view his aunt's final moments. He didn't even know her name, but he had to see her. Hesitation gone, Harry walked toward the Pensieve and dipped his head into the silvery liquid. He felt the familiar pull of transportation into someone else's memory, praying that Remus would forgive him for this.

Harry rather ungracefully flopped onto a bed in a large room in Hogwarts. After a moments' confusion he realized he was in the Room of Requirement. Even more confusing was the fact that whoever thought up the room decided that a large window overlooking the Quidditch Pitch would be needed. Shaking his head, he watched the action in front of him, confusion again becoming evident on his face. A younger Remus was pacing the floor, Sirius sat in a chair, a dark expression on his face, and his father James was arguing with Lily.

"Lily! She's my younger sister! You're asking me to choose between you and Harry and her!" James asked incredulously.

"That's exactly what I'm asking you to do James. You can't save all of us. You have to let one of us go. And I know you're not going to leave your infant son for Voldemort," Lily said, her eyes wide in a slightly maniacal expression.

"Aeryn is my bloody sister! I can't just give her to Voldemort as well!" James yelled. He knew that Lily wasn't too fond of Aeryn, but she wouldn't ask him to do this. This definitely wasn't the Lily he knew.

Lily's face darkened. Her eyes narrowed and gleamed in triumph.

"Then why are Harry and I in here while Aeryn is outside?"

Suddenly a screen materialized in mid-air. James', Sirius', and Remus' heads swiveled to look at the screen. A young girl of sixteen appeared on the screen. Harry marveled at her beauty. Her shoulder-length hair was a chestnut brown with copper streaks running through it. It was slightly mussed, but nothing compared to his and his father's hair. Her big eyes shone green, though not as brilliant as Harry's. Hers reminded him of a forest. They would have been beautiful were it not for the fact that they were wide open in terror. The girl's pouty pink lips were parted slightly as if she were panting. Harry was enraptured by her beauty until he remembered that this was his aunt and was pulled out of his daze by the sight of his father running up to the screen.

"AERYN!" James yelled. "What's going on? Where is she?"

Remus ran to the door and started pounding on it and shouting curses, hoping that it would break down. Sirius was in a flash in front of Lily, wand pointed straight at her throat.

"What have you done! I swear I'll kill you, Lily!"

James opened his mouth in protest to Sirius' threats against his wife. It was quickly shut, though, when Remus whirled around and fired a charm at Lily. Lily wasn't there anymore, though. It was someone else. The Marauders' eyes widened in shock.

"You sacrificed your sister for a Death Eater. How does that make you feel, James? Too bad I can't really hurt you since we're technically still under the Fidelius Charm. Your sister would never break it if her life depended on it. Which, now, I think it may very well be," the Death Eater smiled wickedly.

Any thoughts of talking were quickly silenced by a scream emitted from the screen. All eyes were glued to the girl who ran furiously through a corridor in the Potter mansion as if Voldemort himself were chasing her.

_Aeryn ran as fast as her legs could carry her, dodging curse after curse. Several Death Eaters were behind her. As she wandlessly put a strong shield charm around her, she heard an all-too-familiar voice in her head._

_"Good evening, Miss Potter. I do hope you remember our last conversation," it said._

_"Screw off! I wouldn't betray James and Harry for the world," Aeryn spat._

_"But James would betray you, wouldn't he? Why isn't he protecting his poor, helpless younger sister? Why are his two friends with him, but not his baby sister?"_

_Aeryn stopped dead in her tracks. What if Voldemort was right? James DID ask her to be Secret-Keeper, and she WAS a minor. Why wouldn't he want to protect her? Her moment's pause, however, lowered the protection charms around her and a single cutting curse hit her square in the face. Her beautiful face, now marred forever with a large gash from her right temple to her left cheek._

_'Thank Merlin it missed my eyes, or else I'd be in even deeper shit' Aeryn thought as she resumed running._

_The damage was done, though. Aeryn could not put her shield back up and curses started hitting her as Voldemort whispered in her head._

_"Why would James have made YOU his secret-keeper? Couldn't he have chosen Sirius or Remus? Or even Peter? No, he wanted to keep them safe as well. He doesn't care about your safety, Aeryn! He wants his son, wife, and FRIENDS to be safe. Not once did he think about you and your life. Face it, Aeryn, you're expendable," he taunted._

_"No!" Aeryn fought hard to not believe it. Tears began to run down her face as her whole world crashed down around her. An Incendio curse hit her back and she felt as if she were on fire. She barely held back a scream._

_"Just one word, Aeryn. One word will make this stop. If you tell me where James and his son are, I will take care of you. I can make you powerful, too. You would make one lovely and powerful bride."_

_Aeryn's strength was quickly leaving her. She collapsed right in front of a closed window. Immediately a spell hit her that threw her through the window, the glass cutting her everywhere. Blood flowed freely down Aeryn's body now. Only a window on the other side of the field stopped her from hurtling through the sky into oblivion._

_James watched in horror as Aeryn's bloody form flew closer and closer to his window. As body connected with glass, he no longer could hold his tears at the betrayal, pain, and sorrow that was written all over her face._

_The torture continued. Death Eaters rose into the air on brooms holding bludgers and bats. Those without either held their wands. Voldemort himself was seated on a broom._

_"Last chance, Aeryn. I won't hurt James unless he gets in my way, I'll promise you that."_

_With her last bit of energy, Aeryn opened her eyes and screamed, "NO!" as loud as she could._

_"Very well."_

_And with that, the Death Eaters with wands fired Cruciatus Curses and those with bludgers and bats began to beat Aeryn. James, Sirius, and Remus watched the entire scene through salty tears, damning to hell every single Death Eater and Voldemort himself. James suddenly thought of an idea. Maybe he could open the window and bring his sister to safety. He had to try. But, alas, at the same time that James tried to open the window, Voldemort drew a sword and pierced Aeryn through the heart. Her eyes widened, and she slumped back. Her body lay at an odd angle, held up by the sword._

Harry was jolted out of the memory by Remus. However, this Remus was not angry, but sorrowful, like he had witnessed the whole thing over again. Harry's expression darkened.

"Voldemort will pay for that," he whispered, barely holding back tears.

"Harry, you didn't even know her. You can't feel sorry for every person who died because of Voldemort," Remus sounded like he was going to cry at any moment.

Harry's eyes blazed. He wasn't entirely sure why he cared so much about someone he never met, but he was sure it was for two reasons that he yelled to Remus. "I don't care, Remus! She was my aunt! She died PROTECTING me! She died making sure that Voldemort didn't know where I was! She didn't even know me! But no, she didn't just die, but she was tortured, too! She felt worthless! I KNOW HOW THAT FEELS! Voldemort didn't just kill her, he broke her. She died in the worst way possible, thinking that nobody cared about her! God damn it, Remus, she didn't deserve to die, especially like that. Voldemort ruined every single chance I had at ever having a family. He WILL die. I have many reasons for wanting Voldemort dead, and now I have one more. She shouldn't have had to pay such a high price for loyalty."


End file.
